Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-05-26
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ACRIME~FRUSTRATED.

the heat of summer, checked" by the
cold, and frosted by the SHOWS of win
ter, boat lay upon the sand-a
familiar object to all the visitors of
Spray Cove.
Practically it had no use, except
as resting-place for lovers who
wandered away from the gay scenes
at hotel and cottage to tell
over and over again 1.-THE old story,
as old as Abelard. as tender as
Petrarch, as eternal as Dante.
Wandering alone in the semi-shad-
ows of early evening girl paused by
the boat, rested her hand lightly upon
it, and looked out upon the tiny rip
pies that crept moonlighted to the
beach.
Listless and absorbed in thought, she
remained with her tall figure adding a
picturesque object to the scene, until
the sound of voices aroused her.
One glance was sufficient to satisfy
her of the identity of the evening lott
erers. and after a swift survey she
darted under the boat and became lost
to sight
The new corners drew slowly nearer
and nearer-one in the flush of early
manhood, the other q girl slightly his
junior. AS by generalization, they
seated themselves, utterly oblivious to
the fact that there were eyes and ears
near to see and hear.
A brief silence, then one little white
hand was imprisoned in larger brown
er one, and a strong arm stole gently
around the delicate waist: gently, vet
with pressure SO firm that the fingers
thrilled with the wild beating of the
heart above which they rested; then
the lips breathcd, and the ears received
the dearest of all words:
Grace, loye you!"
The little wreck seemed to suddenly
SILVER under them, and the blushing
girl started upin alarm.
1T is nothing, darling" treasured
her ardent lover, ''but the sliding of
sand from beneath the boat" and he
poured forth the dreams of happiness
long andjCsacredly hidden within his
hsartytand he pressed her for a re-
Spouse thatlhe might know he did not
love in vails
pe'Love youP" she answered, raising
her eyes to him in sweet confusion, and
with the blush roses of her cheeks
deepening to the richest damask.
You know love you, for | have con-
fessed it by my actions thousand
times. .
"And will prove it with your lifeP"
Even more. with my death, should
it be required"
(Which may Heaven avert and bless
you for yonr words, my darling"
He drew her still more closely to him,
lifted her face to his, and their lips met
in the first long, passionate kiss of
betrothal.
The wreck trembled, shivered and
groaned as il, the moment of it's dis
memberment had come.
With but half-suppressed scream,
the girl fled from it,.
Her lover followed, making light of
her fears, soothing and calming, and
endeavoring to convince her that the
most natural causes had alarmed her.
He smiled at her assertion that some
one was concealed beneath the decay
ing planks.
And to more fully satisfy her he re-
turned, investigated, and at last per-
suaded her to approach and be convinc-
ed by her own eyes.
"See, darling" he said: "there is no
one here. and could not have been.
But had it been otherwise. had there
been any danger, gladly would | have
proved how faithfully and strongly
would have defended you. All, may
all our dreams of trouble as swiftly
dissolve into air, and our life be rs
bright as the moons rays resting upon
the water"
"And," she whispered as she chung
to him, trembling with nervous excite
ment, may this be no omen of our
future.
Sauntering slowly back with the
reached the. crowded verandah of the
hotel, listened to the Ito them) uninter-
esting conversation, and at late hour
separated for the night, to continue in
dreams their newborn happiness.
Z The picture presented by Grace
Chambers was one that it would have
needed no promptings of love to gaze
admii-ingly upon. She lay in an easy
position, head raised, lips slightly
parted, the loosened golden hair franz
ing the flushed face with the softest
and brightest of waves. the delieately-
yeined lids curtaining the expressive
blue eyes, and the long lashes, resting
low upon the cheeks
But the very beauty of the sight
only served to infiame the passion OF
one who stole noiselessly into the room.
1t was woman stronger in body and
stronger in will than the fair sleeper.
The black hair was pushed back from
the resolute face, the hands were clench-
ed, around the fierce eyes were black
circles as from long-continued pain,
the lips were convulsively pressed to-
gether, and from between them came
in the most vindictive and sibilant OF
whispers:
"She dare to love him! She dare to
promise to marry himl He dared to turn
his back upon me for this golden-haired
plhk-cheeked doll! And both knew,
for the secret burst through all re-
straint, how fondly worshipped him.
BY Heavenl / thought was going mad
when | knew he had taken her within
his arms-when / heard their lips meet
in fond kisses"
Her face became that of beautiful
fiend as the tempest of jealous veng.
eance swept over it. One hand tore
open her dress and clutched the handle
of a weapon concealed within.
She crept still nearer to the bedside,
paused, listened. Then she CHANGED
to glance up at Il portrait hanging up
on the wall, and sudden and terri
be revulsion of feeling came, and
trembling in every limb she fled from
the room.
She had seen the face of her dead
mother-their mother, for it was sis
ter she would have murdersd-and
could not strike the blow
sKill her?" she murmured almost
peniteatly, as she flung herself down
by the window to cool her hot brow.
kill her with that sweet face looking
down upon me2 Never! Even his
Hove, for which / would sell my soul to
perdih9n. would never Danish the
haunting look of those dear eyes"
Sleep was out of the question. All